Multi-color signal light button for panel mounting



Jan. 4, 1966 M. CORONADO-ARCE 3,228,025

MULTI-COLOR SIGNAL LIGHT BUTTON FDR PANEL MOUNTING Filed Aug. 26, 1963 \TIIIIMWQQZIIIIMVII'QQ,

I7 [c 4.2 34 so mum roe MANUEL C 0EONADO-HRCE 771:1: flrramvsrs.

United States Patent 3,228,026 MULTI-COLOR SIGNAL LIGHT BUTTON FOR PANEL MOUNTING IvIauuel Coronado-Arne, San Mateo, Calif., assignor of one-half to Robert J. Miller, Santa Clara, Calif. Filed Aug. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 304,527 2 Claims. (Cl. 340378) The present invention relates to a multi-color signal light, and pertains more particularly to such a signal light which can be mounted on a panel to expose a small, button-like end portion thereof which can be illuminated with any selected one of a plurality of colors.

In many phases of industry it is common practice to employ signal lights of different colors to indicate the condition, and various operative stages of machines and equipment. For example, on many automatic or automated machines there are employed numerous different colored signal lights, the selective illumination of which denote various conditions of the machine. In such an arrangement, a green signal light may indicate one condition of the mechanism, yellow may indicate another, while red may indicate still another, such as a malfunction, and so forth. These signal lights are usually mounted in rows on a panel, and frequently such panels contain such large numbers of these signal lights as to be possibly confusing to an observer or attendant.

The present invention provides a multi-color signal light wherein a signal, exposed light button is capable of being illuminated with a selected one of a plurality of different colors, each color being capable of control by a selected electrical circuit.

Another object of the invention si to provide a multicolor signal light wherein an end portion of a light transmitting rod is exposed, in the nature of a lens or button, and a plurality of small, individually controlled electric lamps are mounted in shielded compartments around the rod, each lamp having a colored filter inter posed between it and the rod, whereby rays from each of the lamps are directed through the filter for such lamp toward, into, and through the rod to illuminate the exposed end of the rod with the color imparted thereto by the filter, each lamp being controlled by a selected electrical circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, multi-color sign-a1 light.

These objects of the invention, will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal, 'diametrical, sectional view through a multi-color signal light embodying the present invention as it appears when installed on a panel.

FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, perspective view of one of the colored filters.

FIG. 4 is an exploded, perspective view showing the various parts of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1 as they appear when separated axially, portions being broken away.

Briefly, the illustrative embodiment of the invention is a multi-color signal light A comprising a rod of suitable trans-parent, light transmitting plastic material, which may be clear, transparent, polymerized, methyl methachylate resin, or Lucite, mounted with one end 10:: thereof exposed through an opening 11 in an opaque panel B in which the signal light A is mounted. A plurality of small electric signal lamps C are mounted in radially spaced relation to the rod 10, and are shielded from each other. Each lamp C is positioned to direct light rays therefrom through a distinctively colored filter 3,223,026 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 12 and into the rod 10. Thence such rays are transmitted axially of the rod 10 in a usual manner for the material from which the rod is made, and illuminate the exposed rod end 10a with the color determined by the filter through which they pass in entering the rod. Each of the signal lamps C is provided with an electrical terminal 13 for connecting it into a selected electrical circuit.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the illustrated light transmitting rod 10 is inserted with a light press fit into an externally threaded, split bushing 14, having a flange 15 extending radially around its forward end. The exposed rod end portion 10a may be frosted or sand blasted to intercept light rays transmitted through the rod for increasing visibility of the signal.

When the bushing 14, with the rod 10 inserted therein as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, is screwed into a threaded hole 17 provided therefor in the forward end of a cylindrical housing 18, the threaded, split portion 14a of the bushing will be compressed thereby sufficiently to grip the rod 10 and thus prevent endwise displacement thereof.

An axial extension 17a (FIG. 2) of the threaded opening 17 is provided in the housing 18, and is of reduced diameter to receive the light transmitting rod 10 freely therein. A plurality of lamp receiving compartments or recesses 19 are provided in the cylindrical housing 18 in radially spaced relation around the rod receiving hole portion 17a. These recesses 19 preferably are arranged symmetrically around the axial rod receiving hole portion 17a, and extend inwardly from the rear end of the cylindrical housing 18. An opening 20 communicates the radially inward side of each lamp receiving compartment 19 with the rod receiving hole portion 17a.

A color filter 12, of suitable transparent material such as plastic or glass, and suitably colored to pass rays of a selected color, is mounted in the opening 20 from each lamp receiving recess 19 into the rod receiving hole portion 17a. These filters 12 may be slidably inserted in grooves 22 provided therefor along each side of each filter receiving opening 20 to insure against displacement of the filters.

A lamp mounting disk 23 of electrically conductive material, such as, for example, copper or aluminum, is provided with a plurality of lamp receiving openings 24, one for each of the lamp receiving recesses 19 in the housing 18. Each lamp receiving opening 24 is surrounded by an annular flange 25, which extends forwardly from the plane of the mounting disk 23. These flanges 25 support the lamps C inserted therein, and are located on the disk 23 to fit snugly into the rear ends of the lamp recesses 19 as best shown in FIG. 1.

A plurality of the small electric signal lamps C are fitted, one into each of the flanged openings 24 in the mounting disk 23. Each lamp 20 is provided with an electrically conductive base shell 27, having a retaining rim 28 thereon, the shell being electrically connected in a conventional manner to one end of its filament 28. Each of the lamps C is also provided with a usual central Contact 29 which is electrically connected to the other end of its filament.

A base socket 30 comprises a cylindrical body shell 31 of a size to receive the housing 18 and the disk 23 snugly therein. The body shell 31 is provided with a bayonet type latch notch 32 therein to receive and retain a conventional latch pin 33, which is provided to extend from a side of the housing 18.

A plurality of spring biased contact plungers 34 are mounted in the base socket 311 as best shown in FIG. 1, and are so positioned that when the housing 18 is fully inserted into the base socket 30 to bottom the latch pin 33 in the notch 32, and is then turned to cause the latch pin 33 to enter the ofiset portion 32a of the notch 32, one

of the spring pressed, lamp engaging plungers 34 will be in spring pressed, electrical contact with the central contact 29 of each of the lamps C, while a similar central plunger 35 will be in electrical contact with the lamp mounting disk 23.

Each of the plungers 34 and 35 is mounted in a tubular, electrically conductive grommet 36 seated in an opening provided therefor in insulative disk 37, mounted to form the bottom or rear end of the base socket 30. Flanges 38 and 39 are provided around the front and rear ends-of each plunger 34 and 35 to limit axial movement of the plungers in their grommets, anda coil spring 40, surrounding each of the plungers, is held in compression between the forward flange 38 of each plunger and its grommet 36 to urge the plunger pins axially forwardly to insure satisfactory electrical contact with their respective lamps C and the electrically conductive disk 23 when the parts are assembled as shown in FIG. 1.

In using the multi-colored signal light A, a hole 11 of a size to receive the threaded, split rod bushing 14 is provided in a preferably opaque mounting panel B of suitable thickness. With the light transmitting rod inserted toa required depth in the bushing 14, the latter is inserted through the panel hole 11, and is screwed into the threaded hole 17 provided therefor in the forward end of the lamp housing 18 so that the panel B is gripped between the bushing flange and the housing 18. A transparent filter 12 of a suitable selected color is mounted in the opening 20 from each lamp receiving recess 19 into the axial rod receiving hole portion 17a, the rod 10 being inserted in the hole 17 to a depth to bring it radially inwardly of all of the filters.

If desired, more than one of the lamps C may be provided with filters of the same color and these lamps connected in parallel to the same circuit so as to insure against failure of the signal for a critical circuit in the event that one of the lamps so connected should be burned out or otherwise inoperative.

The lamps C are inserted, one in each of the flanged openings 24 in the lamp mounting disk 23, with their illuminating ends directly forwardly. The disk 23, with the lamps C mounted therein, is fitted against the rear end of the housing 18, with the flanges 25 inserted in their respective housing recesses 19. The housing 18, with the lamps C thus mounted therein, is then inserted fully into the base socket with the latch pin 31 aligned with the notch 32.

When the latch pin 31 bottoms in the notch 32, the housing 18 is turned relatively to the socket 30 to move the latch pin 31 into the offset bottom portion 32a of the notch 32, which movement brings each lamp engaging plunger 34 into spring pressed, electrical contact with the center contact 29 of its associated lamp C, and also brings the center plunger 35 into spring'pressed, electrical contact with the lamp mounting disk 23. A suitable common conductor wire 42 may then be connected to the terminal strip 13 of the central plunger 35, while other conductors 43 maybe connected one to eachof the individual terminal strips from the other plungers 34. These conductors wires 42 and 43 may be connected in a Well known manner into selected circuits as required.

While six lamps C are provided in the illustrative embodiment A of the invention, it is obvious that this number may be carried, and that a greater or lesser number of lamps canreadily be provided as required, Also, if

it should be desired to provide for re-lamping from the front of a panel upon which the signal light A is mounted, this can be readily provided for by a simple and obvious modification of the illustrated arrangement.

While We have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it. will be understood, however, that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the scope of the, invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A multi-color signal light comprising,

a cylindrical housing for mounting on the rear face of a panel and having an axial opening therein, the forward end portion of such opening being threaded,

an annular, threaded rod support screwed into the threaded portion of such axial opening,

a flange on the forward end of the rod support gripping the panel to the housing,

a rod of light transmitting material mounted co-axially in the rod support and extending a substantial distance into the housing, and with one end thereof exposed through the forward end of the rod support,

a plurality of opaque lamp compartments in the housing at spaced intervals around the rod, each compartment having a radial space longitudinal opening on the side toward the rod,

an electrically conductive lamp support member mounted on the rear end of the housing and having a plurality of lamp supports thereon, each lamp support registering with one of the lamp compartments in the housing,

a plurality of individually controlled lamps having two terminals thereon mountedin each lamp support and said lamps extending one into each compartment, one terminal of each lamp being in electrically conductive contact with the support disk and,

a detachable socket having a plurality of spring pressed, electrical contact members, each being in spring biased electrical contact With the other terminal of each lamp, for connecting each lamp into an individual electrical control circuit.

2. A multi-color signal light as claimed in claim 1 wherein a colored light filter is mounted in the radial space longitudinal opening between each lamp and the rod.-

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,374,408 4/1945 Braidwood 340380 2,567,046 9/1951 Anderson 340-380 X 2,589,569 3/1952 Peter et al. 340-380 2,916,725 12/1959 Noyes 340378 2,998,597 8/1961 Edwards 340378 3,090,949 5/ 1963 Hallerberg 340366 3,113,303 12/1963 Bloomquist 340-366 3,119,997 1/1964 Kuhn et al 340-378 X NEIL CI READ, Primary Examiner.

WALTER GLEICHMAN, IRVING J. LEVIN,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. A MULTI-COLOR SIGNAL LIGHT COMPRISING, A CYLINDRICAL HOUSING FOR MOUNTING ON THE REAR FACE OF A PANEL AND HAVING AN AXIAL OPENING THEREIN, THE FORWARD END PORTION OF SUCH OPENING BEING THREADED, AN ANNULAR, THREADED ROD SUPPORT SCREWED INTO THE THREADED PORTION OF SUCH AXIAL OPENING, A FLANGE ON THE FORWARD END OF THE ROD SUPPORT GRIPPING THE PANEL TO THE HOUSING, A ROD OF LIGHT TRANSMITTING MATERIAL MOUNTED CO-AXIALLY IN THE ROD SUPPORT AND EXTENDING A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE INTO THE HOUSING, AND WITH ONE END THEREOF EXPOSED THROUGH THE FORWARD END OF THE ROD SUPPORT, A PLURALITY OF OPAQUE LAMP COMPARTMENTS IN THE HOUSING AT SPACED INTERVALS AROUND THE ROD, EACH COMPARTMENT HAVING A RADIAL SPACE LONGITUDINAL OPENING ON THE SIDE TOWARD THE ROD, AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE LAMP SUPPORT MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE REAR END OF THE HOUSING AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF LAMP SUPPORTS THEREON, EACH LAMP SUP- 